HELP! Habanero plant exhibits dwarfed growth, upward pointed and curled in leaves (UPDATE July 13) - Page 1

[ARCHIVED THREAD] - HELP! Habanero plant exhibits dwarfed growth, upward pointed and curled in leaves (UPDATE July 13)

Posted: 4/21/2015 8:41:44 PM EDT

Purchased this "Bonnie" Habanero seedling from Lowes about 3 weeks ago. Weather has been very cool, and rainy. Raised bed with excellent drainage. Plant fertilized with Osmocote granules and an occasional watering with Bonnie liquid fertilizer (half-strength).

SYMPTOMS:

Dwarfed, compact stem growth with very small internodal spacing

Leaves point up at a 45 degree angle

Leaves esp. lower, older leaves have severe upward curling.

Sunny spring weather finally broke yesterday and this afternoon I spread a couple of tsp of Epsom Salts around the base and gave it a light watering. No signs of pests on leaves or stems.

Anyone?

Posted: 4/21/2015 9:40:54 PM EDT

[#1]

my niece grows plants to sell and they say pepper plants grow pretty slow

may need more heat to get it going

my jalapenos are growing slow too and I live in a warm climate

Posted: 4/21/2015 10:38:46 PM EDT

[#2]

Stop using fertilizer.

Posted: 4/21/2015 10:58:08 PM EDT

[#3]

Too much fertilizer, and likely you're overwatering it as well. Next decide what shape you want it to be and trim accordingly. Cut the larger bottom leaves for a more tree like shape, remove the top split for a medium sized plant, and trim around 1" down to create outward growth. I normally don't move my peppers outside until almost may. Cold nights are rough on the plants.

Posted: 4/22/2015 9:06:05 AM EDT

[#4]

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Quoted:
Too much fertilizer, and likely you're overwatering it as well. Next decide what shape you want it to be and trim accordingly. Cut the larger bottom leaves for a more tree like shape, remove the top split for a medium sized plant, and trim around 1" down to create outward growth. I normally don't move my peppers outside until almost may. Cold nights are rough on the plants.

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April's weather here in SC has been unusually cool and, like much of the eastern US, very rainy. The vegetable/flower plant wholesalers (Bonnie) still ship to Lowe's, Wally World, etc. regardless. Unfortunately I don't have a south-facing window or other means to grow or maintain starts/seedlings indoors. When I planted this Hab we had gotten a break in the weather but the cold rainy stuff came back for several weeks.

We are finally getting a sunny spell and I am not going to water the garden unless individual plants need it.

Posted: 4/22/2015 10:14:28 AM EDT

[#5]

If it helps, think of Hot peppers as the kinky BDSM types of the plant world. The more you abuse them the more they like it. No water-poor soil, heat and wind = mucho peppers. hth

Posted: 4/22/2015 10:40:09 AM EDT

[#6]

Looks like it may be a little too chilly for 'em. Not to hijack, but my red bell-pepper plant seems to have a weak main stalk, maybe I bought it that way or my g/f bent it while planting it. Is it a lost cause, or will it heal up enough to support the peppers when they bloom? I'm kinda pissed because I was looking forward to some peppers with my steaks this summer.

Posted: 4/22/2015 2:42:21 PM EDT

[#7]

It might be beet top curly virus. I hope for your sake its not. It typically hits tomatoes around here but I've had it take down peppers as well. Within a week or so you should know for sure if the leaves keep curling. If it is the virus, the plant is already dead it just doesn't know it yet.

The other posters are right though, stop over watering those damn peppers either way.

Posted: 4/23/2015 5:02:24 AM EDT

[#8]

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Quoted:It might be beet top curly virus. I hope for your sake its not. It typically hits tomatoes around here but I've had it take down peppers as well. Within a week or so you should know for sure if the leaves keep curling. If it is the virus, the plant is already dead it just doesn't know it yet.

The other posters are right though, stop over watering those damn peppers either way.

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Talk to mother nature about the watering thing.

The offending plant has been moved to another part of the yard

Posted: 5/7/2015 5:25:55 AM EDT

[#9]

I've removed the curled lower leaves from the plant and have sprayed it with Safer insecticidal soap. It's gained some height and a bit of bulk now that sunny warm weather has returned to the area but because of the plant's overall stunted growth I probably won't top or prune it.

Two other habanero plants as well as a big bertha bell have been topped and are showing thick branching growth after two weeks. Awesome.

But the seedlings I bought at a plant show nearly a month ago (Ghost, Fatalli, Caribbean Red Hab, Peter Pepper) are continuing to show slow growth, poor root development (discovered this during transplanting to larger containers), and are not tolerant of being put out in the sun for very long. One of the Ghost Pepper plants got scalded lower leaves. I think the root problem is related to being overwatered. Now growing in much larger containers hopefully this problem with take care of itself. I'll leave them in indirect light for a few more weeks.

Posted: 5/7/2015 9:49:41 AM EDT

[#10]

Could it be thrips? Really small and can be hard to find. Usually by the time the plant shows symptoms, the bug has already gone through a life cycle and you might see eggs laid somewhere.

Posted: 5/7/2015 10:30:07 AM EDT

[#11]

Have you or your neighbors used Weed Begone? Peppers are very sensitive to herbicides. The damage you describe sounds like 2-4-D.

Posted: 5/7/2015 10:49:07 PM EDT

[#12]

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Have you or your neighbors used Weed Begone? Peppers are very sensitive to herbicides. The damage you describe sounds like 2-4-D.

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It's possible but even if they did their property lines are way far away. The sick plant in question was growing in a garden inhabited by other pepper plants as well as tomatoes, herbs, lettuces, eggplants, and marigolds. None of these other plants have this problem.

However, the yard landscaping guy probably did use Roundup here and there for spot treatment. I just sent him a voice mail requesting he not use it in our yard unless he confers with me so I appreciate the info.

Posted: 5/11/2015 7:53:09 PM EDT

[#13]

Topping pepper plants WORKS! Wow! Now that summer is here full bore the new stem growth is taking off like a freakin' rocket!

Posted: 5/11/2015 8:06:30 PM EDT

[#14]

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Quoted:
Topping pepper plants WORKS! Wow! Now that summer is here full bore the new stem growth is taking off like a freakin' rocket!

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You pruned the top off? Never seen that done.

Posted: 5/12/2015 2:31:57 AM EDT

[#15]

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Quoted:

You pruned the top off? Never seen that done.

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Quoted:

Quoted:
Topping pepper plants WORKS! Wow! Now that summer is here full bore the new stem growth is taking off like a freakin' rocket!

You pruned the top off? Never seen that done.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8I1BtTNIIcY

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c11DWAU_o14

I've always done with with basil plants but finally got up the courage to do it with two Habanero plants.

You can also just snip the tiny growing tips on the top of the plant vs. chop off the upper "V".

Posted: 6/2/2015 8:39:21 PM EDT

[#16]

My sickly Habanero plant has pulled out of its funk, has developed healthy new foilage, and today I discovered two pods on it one of which is nearly full size. That's pretty unusual for a plant that's only 12" tall.

Posted: 6/2/2015 9:04:45 PM EDT

[#17]

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Quoted:
Stop using fertilizer.

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Quoted:
Stop using fertilizer.

Yup, words of wisdom from our dear sister down in east texas

Quoted:
About peppers... they are co-dependent women, so to speak. You need to treat them right when you meet them, and then abuse them.

When you plant them, add a handful of matches under the rootball. Add in a bone, or handful of oyster shell to boot. Put a Tspn of fertilizer. Cover this treasure with 1-2" of soil.

Never fertilize them again.

When you pick the peppers, don't worry about occasionally snapping a branch. Don't do enough damage to cause them to die, or call the cops, but, don't be gentle.

They are not tomatoes, they are not shrinking violets.

Peppers only produce fruit when they are worried about survival. Make them happy and you get nothing. Rough them up and well...see line 1.

TRG

Posted: 6/3/2015 2:52:50 PM EDT

[#18]

Quote History

Quoted:

Yup, words of wisdom from our dear sister down in east texas

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Quoted:

Quoted:
Stop using fertilizer.

Yup, words of wisdom from our dear sister down in east texas

Quoted:
About peppers... they are co-dependent women, so to speak. You need to treat them right when you meet them, and then abuse them.

When you plant them, add a handful of matches under the rootball. Add in a bone, or handful of oyster shell to boot. Put a Tspn of fertilizer. Cover this treasure with 1-2" of soil.

Never fertilize them again.

When you pick the peppers, don't worry about occasionally snapping a branch. Don't do enough damage to cause them to die, or call the cops, but, don't be gentle.

They are not tomatoes, they are not shrinking violets.

Peppers only produce fruit when they are worried about survival. Make them happy and you get nothing. Rough them up and well...see line 1.

TRG

I heard about the matches (sulfur) from the Pepper Joe's site. As for the bone (calcium) I use crushed eggshells.

Posted: 6/5/2015 10:46:09 PM EDT

[#19]

OP, can you get some pictures up at some point? That's always a crowd-pleaser.

I have one Habanero, Caribbean Red and Ghost, and then about 10 Jalapeno peppers. It's going to be a while before any fruiting though.

Posted: 6/6/2015 5:13:36 PM EDT

[#20]

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Quoted:

OP, can you get some pictures up at some point? That's always a crowd-pleaser.

I have one Habanero, Caribbean Red and Ghost, and then about 10 Jalapeno peppers. It's going to be a while before any fruiting though.

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I had a couple photos posted in the OP but took them down when the growth problem went away. Will try to find them.

Posted: 6/6/2015 7:42:42 PM EDT

[#21]

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Quoted:

I had a couple photos posted in the OP but took them down when the growth problem went away. Will try to find them.

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Quoted:

Quoted:

OP, can you get some pictures up at some point? That's always a crowd-pleaser.

I have one Habanero, Caribbean Red and Ghost, and then about 10 Jalapeno peppers. It's going to be a while before any fruiting though.

I had a couple photos posted in the OP but took them down when the growth problem went away. Will try to find them.

Cool. It always helps as a reference when doing searches. I had a terrible bacterial infection in several varieties of pepper plants last year. I could have sworn
it was Verticillium Wilt, but I sent off some leaves and an entire plant to the extension office at the University of New Hampshire and they identified it as a relatively
common bacterial infection affecting pepper plants. This year I've cut way back on the number of pepper plants but I do have a single Habanero, Caribbean Red and
Ghost pepper plants, as well as about 10 Jalapeno plants.

Posted: 7/13/2015 5:13:01 PM EDT

[#22]

Formerly "sick" Habanero plant is doing extremely well and is full of very nice looking chile pods. Looking for them to start turning orange any time now.

Harvested my first ripe Habs from another plant in the garden. they're grotesquely twisted, wrinkly, and have that almost-fake fluorescent green-to-orange glow. And...THEY'RE HOT!!!!!

Posted: 7/21/2015 10:08:36 AM EDT

[#23]

Picked a few peppers this morning

Posted: 7/21/2015 10:35:47 AM EDT

[#24]

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Quoted:
Picked a few peppers this morning

https://gundistrict.com/public/album_photo/fe/fc/fc02_342a.JPG?c=4965

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That's a good looking table that's full of hurt, congrats!

PM your address and we'll get a bottle of Tums to you.

Posted: 7/25/2015 4:35:03 PM EDT

[#25]

OK, finally harvested the first chiles from the "sick" plant that had been exiled from the garden to survive or die. Survive, it has and this plant is doing extremely well.

I'm gonna call them "WEIRDO PEPPERS". All sorts of grotesque shapes. The pod on the upper left is HUGE...looks like it has a tumor

(.38 spl. round shown for scale):